text: In 1895, Boltzmann who supported atomic theory in light of his recently developed statistical mechanics, organized a debate with Ostwald to be held during a scientific conference in Lübeck, Germany. Boltzmann had already prepared his arguments in private correspondence with Ostwald after the publication of his book. The Lübeck Scientific Conference () took place in September of that year, with mathematician Georg Helm and Ostwald supporting energeticism in the debate, and Boltzmann and mathematician Felix Klein supporting atomism. Mach was not present. Arnold Sommerfeld records his impression of the conference:
  After the conference, Helm and Ostwald hurried to write response articles. Mach finished his book Principles of the Theory of Heat in 1886, in which he recorded that energeticism, even if flawed, was better to Boltzmanns mechanistic theories.  Max Planck  wrote an article after the conference "Against the New Energetics", in opposition to Ostwalds theory.